Interior Desing

Different Types of Design

• Work with housing developers. Despite the slow-down in the real estate market, house builders are still building. Condo sales have performed much better than single family home sales, and these complexes typically need designers.
• Become a renovation consultant. Many homeowners are choosing to remodel their home in place of, or even before, selling it. This could be a great way to grow your design business, even if the project is small. From single rooms to entire homes, renovation consultations can be a good way to earn some basic income.
• Work with medical institutions. Although the challenges of budget and timeline can be strict with medical institution projects, they can offer a great way to add a large-scale project to your resume. And relationships with public housing and facility builders are typically some of the best relationships to have.

Interior Decorating Trends

Veteran interior designer Susan Slotkis, author of the well respected Foundations of Interior Design, recently described to Furniture Style the movement in interior decorating trends. She explains that the U.S. has been "behind" other countries in the use of "saturated" colors. However, she remarks, "we as Americans have moved towards more comfort level with more color." For example, we are beginning to see brown color groups being used more frequently in interiors.

Ms. Slotkis also notes an increase in the use of handmade decorations and accessories. This trend can be observed in the marketing and sale of many interior decorating materials these days, with terms like "hand-carved," "hand-woven," and "hand-spun" appearing commonly in retail and furniture stores.

Play it Safe: Kid-Friendly Interior Design

The Home Safety Council reports that falls are the top source of injury in homes in the U.S., followed by poisonings and burns. Children are particularly susceptible because of their boundless energy and curiosity. Here are some tips for child-friendly interior decorating:

• Either choose furniture designed without sharp, pointed corners or install corner protectors on problem items like coffee tables and end tables
• Look out for sharp corners on fireplace hearths, and cover them if necessary
• Make sure that all rugs have anti-slip mats underneath them to prevent them from sliding as a child runs across them
• Include an out-of-the-way lockable cabinet in your interior decorating scheme for poisonous substances such as cleaning supplies, and make sure that the home is adequately supplied with both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Rather than incorporating open flames from candles, consider using battery-powered candles instead